This article does not cite any references or sources. (April 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

The Goa'uld (pronounced go-ah-OOLD [goʊ˘ˈuːld] or [goˑɑˈʔuːld], commonly GOOLD, or go-OOLD) are a fictional parasitic alien race in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 universe. They look like snakes but they normally insinuate themselves into the brains of larger animals, which they can then control. They find humans particularly suitable as hosts. The Supreme System Lord Ra The System Lord Apophis The System Lord Anubis The System Lord Baal In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, the System Lords are the leaders of the Goauld, the dominant alien race of the Milky Way Galaxy. ... Stargate is a science fiction/action film released in 1994, directed by Roland Emmerich and written by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, with a soundtrack by David Arnold. ... A parasite is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life in or on the living tissue of a host organism and which causes harm to the host without immediately killing it. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... Stargate SG-1 (often abbreviated as SG-1) is a science fiction television series, part of the Stargate franchise. ... For other uses, see Snake (disambiguation). ...

Most Goa'uld pose as gods to control slave armies and are considered evil, egocentric, and megalomaniacs by those who do not worship them. "Goa'uld" means "God" in the Goa'uld language. The higher echelon of Goa'uld formed a loose association of System Lords. However, there exists a rebellious offshoot of the species, the Tok'ra, that rejects the God/Slave paradigm of the mainstream Goa'uld and prefers to merge only with voluntary hosts. A singular Goa'uld is sometimes referred to as a symbiote, more often when the host and parasite have a free, benign, synergistic relationship as with the Tok'ra. Look up deity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In psychology, egocentrism is the characteristic of regarding oneself and ones own opinions or interests as most important. ... Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), a term first used by Heinz Kohut in 1971[1], is a form of pathological narcissism acknowledged in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980, in the edition known as DSM III-TR. Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by extreme focus on oneself... The Goauld language is a fictional language spoken by the Goauld and Jaffa from the television series Stargate SG-1. ... The Supreme System Lord Ra The System Lord Apophis The System Lord Anubis The System Lord Baal In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, the System Lords are the leaders of the Goauld, the dominant alien race of the Milky Way Galaxy. ... The Tokra are a fictional race on the television series Stargate SG-1. ... Common Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) in their Magnificent Sea Anemone (Heteractis magnifica) home. ... The Tokra are a fictional race on the television series Stargate SG-1. ...

The Goa'uld were the primary enemies of SG-1 for most of the series, although in Season 9 they were supplanted in this role by the Ori after the deaths of most of the System Lords. SG-1 arm patch SG-1 (Stargate Team 1) is the primary unit of Stargate Command in the science fiction TV show Stargate SG-1, of which its members are the main characters. ... Season nine and ten intertitle This is an episode list for the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. ... The Ori (pronounced OR-eye) are characters on the fictional Stargate SG-1 television program. ... The Supreme System Lord Ra The System Lord Apophis The System Lord Anubis The System Lord Baal In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, the System Lords are the leaders of the Goauld, the dominant alien race of the Milky Way Galaxy. ...

History

Origins

On their native homeworld—known only by its SGC designation, P3X-888 and its address ( ) —the Goa'uld begin their lifecycle as relatively helpless aquatic larvae, spawned in large numbers by a Goa'uld queen. Those that survive to maturity develop elaborate fins that allow them to spring powerfully out of the water to burrow into a suitable creature's neck. The Unas evolved on the same world and were their original favoured host. Rather than remain on their homeworld P3X-888, the Goa'uld, inside their Unas hosts, used that planet's Stargate to emigrate to other worlds. They then infiltrated and invaded other alien races until they had conquered the entire Milky Way Galaxy. Eventually, their race began to die out, until Supreme System Lord Ra discovered Earth and the ancient humans living there; humans proved to be a much more suitable host-race for the Goa'uld, as human bodies were easier to repair, and human hands and voices offered much greater opportunity for expression and technological use; use of the Unas as a host was phased out. Once a Goa'uld takes a host it is not easy for it to switch to another; it loses its fins and its body appears to atrophy significantly. Starfaring Goa'uld developed an alternative lifecycle from those in the wild; modifying a race of humans into Jaffa to act as incubators for their larvae. This was apparently done both to produce powerful warrior servants and to improve the ability of the larval Goa'uld to take a human host on maturity; Goa'uld larvae that grow up "in the wild" have only a fifty percent chance of being able to take a host whereas Jaffa-reared larvae are universally capable. Nevertheless, the Goa'uld are not a numerous species. Selmak estimated that there were "dozens of the ranks of System Lords, thousands of [adult] Goa'uld in general." Cheyenne Mountains base Cheyenne Mountains entrance tunnel Cheyenne Mountains interior For more information on this series and its accompanying fictional universe, see Stargate SG-1. ... Chaka A fictional species in the sci-fi television show, Stargate SG-1, the Unas, meaning the First Ones, are a race of large and primitive humanoids that evolved on the same planet as the Goauld. ... Image File history File links StargateGlyph20. ... Image File history File links StargateGlyph18. ... Image File history File links StargateGlyph11. ... Image File history File links StargateGlyph38. ... Image File history File links StargateGlyph10. ... Image File history File links StargateGlyph32. ... A fictional species in the sci-fi television show Stargate SG-1, the Unas, meaning the First Ones, are a race of large and primitive humanoids that evolved on the same planet as the Goauld. ... For other uses, see Milky Way (disambiguation). ... The Supreme System Lord Ra The System Lord Apophis The System Lord Anubis The System Lord Baal In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, the System Lords are the leaders of the Goauld, the dominant alien race of the Milky Way Galaxy. ... Ra is a fictional alien in the Stargate universe, appearing in the science fiction movie Stargate, and subsequently in the television show Stargate SG-1. ... The Jaffa are a fictional alien race, in the television series Stargate SG-1. ... The Tokra are fictional characters in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. ...

The native Goa'uld on their original world did not have naqahdah in them, but the ones on other worlds did. The show offered no backstory to explain how this happened and only stated it. The show has stated however that the presence of naqahdah in an individual's bloodstream allowed that individual to use certain elements of Goa'uld technology. Therefore it seems likely that at some point the Goa'uld deliberately introduced naqadah into themselves. This would allow them to create technology keyed to the presence of naquadah, that only they could use. They utilize this technology to further their claim to be gods, by passing off a technological marvel as a supernatural ability. The fictional Stargate setting contains a number of elements and other compounds unique to it, as well as fictional properties for real elements and compounds. ...

The era of the political dominance of the Goa'uld over the galaxy is believed to have begun soon after Ra's discovery of human hosts sometime in the ninth or eighth millennium BC and lasted until the Replicator invasion of the galaxy in 2005. In the science fiction series Stargate SG-1, the Replicators are a race of self-replicating machines, and arguably one of the most advanced races in the Stargate universe. ...

Goa'uld Empire

In 8,000 B.C., the Goa'uld were a dying race. They infested the native Unas and learned how to activate the Stargate. But even with their hosts, they couldn't sustain themselves for long. One Goa'uld, Ra, came upon a world called Earth and named the native sentient species Tau'ri (The First Born). Realising that within a human host the Goa'uld could remain alive indefinitely, they then enslaved Earth and took the people as hosts, using the Jaffa as incubators and the rest as slaves. They posed as Earth's gods (excluding the Norse, whose roles were already taken by the Asgard). They transferred the humans across many planets to mine naquadah, later abandoning those planets when the mines ran out. However, the Tau'ri of Earth rebelled, forcing Ra to abandon the planet, and the Goa'uld forgot about Earth for almost 5,000 years. The Asgard are a fictional alien race in the television series Stargate SG-1. ...

The Tau'ri became a threat to the Goa'uld again in 1996, when Jack O'Neill and Daniel Jackson travelled through the Stargate, killed Ra, and later managed to thwart an invasion by Apophis. After the death of the Goa'uld queen Hathor, the Goa'uld System Lords—the governing body of all Goa'uld—made plans to attack Earth, but were forced to change their plans when the Protected Planets Treaty between the Goa'uld and the Asgard was amended to include Earth. Jonathan Jack ONeill (born October 20, 1952)[1] is a fictional character in the science fiction feature film Stargate and the subsequent television series Stargate SG-1 played by actors Kurt Russell in the film (name spelled as ONeil) and Richard Dean Anderson in the series. ... Dr. Daniel Jackson as played by James Spader in Stargate. ...

After the death of the Goa'uld Cronus and Apophis, there was a massive civil war between the remaining System Lords to fill the power void. A mysterious force was taking advantage of the war to gain power for themselves. At a meeting of the System Lords, a truce was settled on and an alliance discussed. The final guest who arrived, Osiris, claimed she (Osiris had a female host, despite typically having had male hosts before) was representing Anubis, a System Lord long thought dead who proposed to destroy the Tau'ri in exchange for being allowed to return as a System Lord. All of the major System Lords except Yu supported Osiris' proposal. Although, when Anubis failed, the System Lords then joined forces to destroy him, but his massive mother ship held a strategic advantage over them.

When Lord Yu was unable to lead the Alliance (He had to use the sarcophagus often, making him mentally unstable), Ba'al was chosen to lead them and successfully destroyed Anubis' mothership over the planet Langara. Still, Anubis' forces kept Ba'al's forces at bay.

Anubis later attacked Earth, thinking the humans knew the location of the Lost City of the Ancients. His defeat by the Ancient drone weapons in Antarctica only widened the power vacuum, and the System Lords tried to avoid further war by dividing his forces and territory. Ba'al then found Tartarus (The location of where the Kull Warriors are created) and reprogrammed the drones to serve him. Using all of Anubis' forces, Ba'al began a full scale assault against those Goa'uld, who were not loyal to him.

Fall of the Goa'uld

Desperate, the System Lords tried to convince the Tau'ri to use their weapons from the Ancients against Ba'al, but the Tau'ri had no interest in interfering with the Goa'uld affairs. The System Lords were then forced into a standoff. Soon thereafter, the Replicators began to defeat the System Lords and eventually killed almost every one. The Replicators were defeated by the Tau'ri, Tokr'a, Asgard, and Ba'al using an Ancient weapon on the planet Dakara, a place sacred to the Jaffa.

The taking of Dakara was a catalyst for the rebellion of the Jaffa, and the remaining Goa'ulds lost most of their Jaffa after it was liberated, thus ending the eight year conflict..

Trust

With the Goa'uld empire reduced to a fraction of its former glory, the remaining Goa'uld, mainly Ba'al, hid on Earth and took control of some of the world's most powerful corporations. They adopted some of Earth's lifestyle and mostly abandoned their old voices. Furthermore, Ba'al had cloned himself so his legacy would not die. He even brainwashed a number of Free Jaffa in order to rebuild his empire. In the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, the Trust is a shadowy interplanetary terrorist group composed of rogue ex-NID operatives and the international business cabal which funds them. ...

Characteristics

Most Goa'uld like to take the name of a classical god from Earth, especially those of ancient Egypt, but not the Norse gods (whose identities were assumed by the Asgard). Only three Goa'uld, Cronus, Ares, and Athena have been seen to pose as Greek gods, as the Goa'uld predate the Olympian pantheon. No known Goa'uld has ever used a name from the Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, although one Goa'uld (Sokar) pretended to be Satan to a group of medieval Christians. Norse, Viking or Scandinavian mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian peoples, including those who settled on Iceland, where most of the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... In the science fiction series Stargate SG-1, the Asgard are a benevolent, highly advanced and evolved race from another galaxy, called Ida, who have visited Earth on many occasions, giving rise to the Norse legends. ... In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, the fictional character Cronus is a Goauld System Lord, and is played by actor Ron Halder. ... For other uses, see Athena (disambiguation). ... Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon (Greek: Δωδεκάθεον < δωδεκα, dodeka, twelve + θεον, theon, of the gods), in Greek religion, were the principal gods of the Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. ... Abrahamic religions symbols designating the three prevalent monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Abrahamic religion is a term commonly used to designate the three prevalent monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam[1][2] – which claim Abraham (Hebrew: Avraham אַבְרָהָם ; Arabic: Ibrahim ابراهيم ) as a part of their sacred history. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Spoiler warning: Sokar is a fictional character in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 played by David Palffy. ... This article is about the concept of Satan. ...

The Goa'uld are so egomaniacal that the term Goa'uld means either "Children of the Gods" or "Gods" in their language. There is still debate as to whether the Goa'uld assumed the names of deities that humans already worshiped or if the Egyptian, Chinese, Japanese, Hindu, Mesopotamian, Greco-Roman, and other ancient mythologies stem from the Goa'uld's one-time domination of (ancient) Earth. The Goauld language is a fictional language spoken by the Goauld and Jaffa from the television series Stargate SG-1. ... Hindu mythology is a term used by modern scholarship for a large body of Indian literature that details the lives and times of legendary personalities, deities and divine incarnations on earth interspersed with often large sections of philosophical and ethical discourse. ... Mesopotamian mythology is the collective name given to Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, and Babylonian mythologies from the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq. ... The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... A head of Minerva found in the ruins of the Roman baths in Bath Roman mythology, the mythological beliefs of the people of Ancient Rome, can be considered as having two parts. ...

The most powerful Goa'uld are called System Lords. They rule several planets, lead huge armies of Jaffa warriors, and maintain fleets of powerful spaceships that resemble pyramids. Major Goa'uld System Lords included Apophis, Ba'al, Heru'ur, Cronus, Nirrti, and Yu. Sokar, Osiris, and Anubis were former system lords. Many of them have since died during the progression of the show. The most powerful System Lord was Ra — until the Tau'ri killed him in the 1994 movie Stargate. The Supreme System Lord Ra The System Lord Apophis The System Lord Anubis The System Lord Baal In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, the System Lords are the leaders of the Goauld, the dominant alien race of the Milky Way Galaxy. ... In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, Apophis was a Goauld based on the god Apep of Egyptian mythology. ... Baal (played by South African actor Cliff Simon) is a fictional character in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, a Goauld based on the Baal of Phoenician mythology. ... In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, the fictional character Heru-ur was a Goauld on whom the fiction claims the Heru-ur (Horus) of Egyptian mythology was based. ... In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, the fictional character Cronus is a Goauld System Lord, and is played by actor Ron Halder. ... In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, the fictional character Nirrti is a Goauld System Lord on whom the Nirrti of Hindu mythology is based. ... Yu is a Goauld System Lord on the sci-fi television show, Stargate SG-1. ... Spoiler warning: Sokar is a fictional character in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 played by David Palffy. ... Osiris is a Goauld based on the Osiris of Egyptian Mythology in the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1. ... How do you do? ... Ra is a fictional alien in the Stargate universe, appearing in the science fiction movie Stargate, and subsequently in the television show Stargate SG-1. ... In the science fiction universe Stargate SG-1 the Tauri (Terran in Ancient) (Midgard in Asgard) Homo sapiens sapiens [tɔːɹi] or [taʊːɹi] (sometimes spelled Tauri, and often spoken as People of the Tauri) is a widespread term used to refer to humans of Earth (Milky Way... Stargate is a science fiction/action film released in 1994, directed by Roland Emmerich and written by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, with a soundtrack by David Arnold. ...

Goa'uld are able to pass their memories directly to their offspring through genetic memory. This can also occur when a pair of Goa'uld hosts mate and produce an offspring; the resulting child is biologically human but possesses "all the knowledge of the Goa'uld." Such a child is known as a Harcesis. Such a child would know the secrets of the Goa'uld, most importantly that they are not gods and the secrets of their technology, and could reveal to other humans that the Goa'uld were not gods and teach them about Goa'uld technology, which would cripple the Goa'uld's hold over their human and Jaffa slaves. For this reason, producing Harcesis children was strictly forbidden by the Goa'uld, and was one of the relatively few rules all Goa'uld abided by, and enforced by punishing Goa'uld who broke such rules. The genetic memory is considered to be a contributing factor to the cruel and power-hungry nature of the Goa'uld—essentially, they are born evil. This article or section should be merged with [[{{{1}}}]]. Racial memory Genetic Memory As used in this article , genetic memory is present mental use of ancestor learned lessons and information that is stored in the memory of our genes and DNA, an area of science that is not presently understood. ... The Harcesis-child Shifu In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, a Harcesis is a Human child born of the hosts of two Goauld mates when the hosts are still possessed. ...

A human host (Major Kawalsky) after being implanted with a Goa'uld symbiote.

A Goa'uld-occupied host usually speaks in an eerily flanged, bass-augmented register, except when allowing the host to act freely, or when imitating a normal human. Recently, however, one Goa'uld has stated that the voice is not necessary, and that they can talk in normal tones. The voice may simply be used to differentiate between host and symbiote (as the Tok'ra do) or to frighten slaves. A Goauld Possessed Human from Stargate SG1 This is a screenshot of a copyrighted website, video game graphic, computer program graphic, television broadcast, or film. ... Charles Kawalsky was a fictional character from the film Stargate who was portrayed by John Diehl. ... Flanging is a time-based audio effect that occurs when two identical signals are mixed together, but with one signal time-delayed by a small and gradually changing amount, usually smaller than 20 ms (milliseconds). ... Bass (IPA: [], rhyming with face), when used as an adjective, describes tones of low frequency or range. ... This is a list of Goauld, a fictional alien species from the Stargate universe. ... The Tokra are a fictional race on the television series Stargate SG-1. ...

Extreme emotions in the Goa'uld may cause the host's eyes to briefly glow; this also happens when the Goa'uld takes control of its host and when the host is killed. How they do this has never been addressed.

The Goa'uld instill increased strength and remarkable healing abilities in their hosts. The host can continue to function even after sustaining injuries that would incapacitate or kill most humans (although the destruction of their vital organs is still immediately fatal for them), and has a lifespan of centuries (which System Lords commonly extend almost indefinitely through the technological means of a sarcophagus). Being a host is regarded as a living hell, and those hosts who have been under the control of Goa'uld for extended periods of time are widely suspected of having become insane. Most of the Goa'uld killed in Stargate SG-1 have been in a host which died along with them. The death of the host in these instances has generally been considered merciful. If any attempt is made to forcibly remove a Goa'uld from a host the Goa'uld may release a deadly toxin into the bloodstream of the host, killing the hapless individual. Nevertheless, the Tok'ra have found a surgical method of safely removing Goa'uld parasites with only minimal risk to either party, and the Asgard technician Hermiod recently discovered a method of removing a Goa'uld parasite using Asgard beam technology ("Critical Mass"). | Superhuman strength, also called super strength or enhanced strength, is an ability commonly utilized in fiction. ... Sarcophagus In the Stargate fictional universe, the alien species Goauld use a device called a sarcophagus to rapidly heal injuries and extend their lifespans. ... Stargate SG-1 (often abbreviated as SG-1) is a science fiction television series, part of the Stargate franchise. ... For other uses, see Toxin (disambiguation). ... The Tokra are a fictional race on the television series Stargate SG-1. ... In the science fiction series Stargate SG-1, the Asgard are a benevolent, highly advanced and evolved race from another galaxy, called Ida, who have visited Earth on many occasions, giving rise to the Norse legends. ... Hermiod is an Asgard technician aboard the Daedalus on the science fiction series Stargate Atlantis. ... The Ring Transporter is a fictional device from the sci-fi television show Stargate SG-1 and the Stargate movie. ... In this episode a man ejaculates semen all over his control panel causing him to crash into a large erect penis. ...

Goa'uld are parasitic in a technological sense as well. While many races in the galaxy, like the Asgard and the Ancients, developed their own technology over many thousands of years, the Goa'uld achieved their current level of technological strength by discovering or stealing the technology of other races and adapting it to their own use. It is unknown if any individual pieces of Goa'uld technology were actually developed originally by the Goa'uld themselves. More often than not the Goa'uld, in their arrogance, will claim to have 'invented' a piece of technology that they in fact did not. There is little doubt, however, that the Goa'uld do have inventors and technicians who have been seen to improve earlier technologies (for example, extending a cloak around an entire Ha'tak mothership, as in "The Serpent's Venom"). The Stargates themselves are a prime example of this. While they were created and built by the Ancients, the Goa'uld have controlled so many of the galaxy's Stargates for such a long period of time that they automatically take credit for their invention. This fiction is just another of the claims that helps reinforce the Goa'ulds' position as gods in the minds of those who are ruled by them. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... An Ancient The Ancients are a fictional race in the Stargate universe. ... A Hatak is a fictional class of starship in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 // Interiors of Hataks Hatak is a general name for vessels within this ship class, as there are many variations. ... The Serpents Venom is an episode of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. ... The Ancients, also known as the Alterans and Lanteans, sometimes calling themselves Anqueetas in their language, are a humanoid race in the fictional Stargate universe. ...

Possibly because the Goa'uld spend relatively little time developing new technologies, and because they likewise keep their servants from innovating and expanding, Goa'uld society has not changed noticeably in the millennia since they originally contacted the Tau'ri.

The Host

The Goa'ulds parasitic existence requires them to take a host in order to interact with the world around them. Originally, this was the Unas as well as a few other alien races but eventually spread to humanity. Hosts are usually collected from the many slave worlds within the domain of the Goa'uld, though, when desperate, they occupy the first host that is available even if it's the opposite gender than they prefer. This only occurs with mature parasites as the younger larvae remain within the symbiote pouches of the Jaffa.

Once taking over the body, the parasite exerts near total control, depending on its maturity, and gains the memories of the host itself. This can be a potent way of gaining information and infiltration as possessed by the symbiote allows the Goa'uld to blend within societies without drawing any suspicion.

The Goa'uld tended to perpetrate the myth to others that once a host was possessed by a symbiote then 'nothing of the host' survives. This was false as the host's personality was simply suppressed and dominated by the parasites mind. However, strong and powerful minds can fight the parasites influence which can cause momentary pauses as the two minds fight over the body. In some cases, the host can actually influence the symbiote itself as seen by Kendra who told her symbiote that the fact that Cimmeria was a banned Goa'uld world meant that there must be something important on that planet. Despite this, possession by a symbiote can be a traumatizing experience for the host who feel that they have been living a nightmare that they could not awaken from.

When taking the host body, the Goa'uld symbiote tends to be very invasive and uses its naturally evolved form to tear into the neck of the host. The symbiote almost never invades a potential host body through the mouth as they do not wish to 'remember' the look of horror on the hosts face when it was infested by the parasite.

The parasite also tend to use the host body as a form of hostage, especially when used against the people who cared for the host. This is simply because the symbiote can release a deadly poison within the body that is capable of killing the host and can serve as the Goa'ulds last act of spite against their enemies. However, there are occasions when the host survives the death of the Goa'uld. This can be done willingly by the Goa'uld itself, which is rare, or by removal by an advanced race such as the Tok'ra or Asgard. These surviving hosts tend to have naquada traces remaining in their blood allowng them access to Goa'uld technology. In addition to this, they also possess brief memories of their symbiotes knowledge though these can be scattered and erratic at best.

Society

The Goa'uld Empire spanned a large part of the Milky Way galaxy with the territory divided among numerous nobles. The greatest and most powerful of these would be titled System Lords who commanded great armies as well as rivalries with one another. The strongest among them, which was rare, were able to take the title of Supreme System Lord as was the case with Ra. These System Lords commanded numerous underlords who served to administrate their vast territory and had ambitions of their own. They were also entitled to vote on who joined their number and who should be expelled as well as administered death marks on enemies of the System Lords which would be done by the Ash'rak. Some formed minor organizations that opposed the ruling System Lords such as the Linvris. Another shadowy aspect of the Goa'uld would be the Tok'ra who were considered a separate, and despised, race. The following article refers to the sci-fi television show, Stargate SG-1. ... For other uses, see Ra (disambiguation). ... The Tokra are a fictional race on the television series Stargate SG-1. ...

A Goa'ulds life itself is one based on luxury and power that is supported by their slave armies consisting of Jaffa and their more loyal human followers. Fear and the belief that they are gods is what keeps these people in line. The fear being generated by threats of destruction and executions to keep the people in line. Furthermore, the followers are kept in check by 'Goa'uld magic' which is done through technology and is one of the reasons why their followers are kept at a primitive level of development in order to ensure that they do not suspect the truth.

Teal'c stated in "In the Line of Duty" that one of the weaknesses of the Goa'uld is their arrogance and that by assaulting their ego, the Goa'uld in question will at times reveal their plans in order to appear superior. He later went on by stating that he had seen many great battle plans fail because of a single Goa'uld attempting to make themselves appear superior by stating their 'brilliant' tactic. Another noted trait among members of the species is their desire for self preservation with it being very rare for a Goa'uld to willingly sacrifice its life for another. When faced with death, a Goa'uld typically would bargain with its enemies in order to survive; be it another race or another Goa'uld. When faced with captivity, a Goa'uld will also attempt to bargain with its captors by stating that they will share Goa'uld knowledge though they will form their own plans in order to escape. Among their fellow Goa'uld, a typical option for a defeated Goa'uld is either servitude to the victor or death. Regardless of the outcome, the defeated enemies' Jaffa army gets absorbed by the victors.

The Goa'uld tend to possess large territories and from these worlds, which are populated by thousands of humans from Earth, the parasites gain host bodies to use for their kind. Typically, perfect or beautiful hosts are gathered which is administered by the Jaffa or by a Goa'uld who single out those they wish to take. These raids also serve to instill terror into the populations and ensure their cooperation to their "gods".

Among the Goa'uld leaders, the most trusted of human followers serve as a "Lo-Tar" which is the highest rank a human slave can achieve. These are the trusted companions of the Goa'uld who, sometimes, are the opposite sex of their master. Some, if not all, appear to know the Goa'ulds origins and still follow them in hopes of being implanted with a symbiote.

The Goa'uld have practically no relations with other governments for they do not brook challenges to their authority, rather they tend to destroy them. The only exception to this rule is the Asgard, whose advanced technological capabilities make them superior to the Goa'uld, and thus are something they cannot win against. This is the only reason they agreed to the Protected Planets Treaty, and is the reason why those worlds, along with Earth when it was added, became immune from a full scale Goa'uld assault. The treaty compells the Goa'uld from attacking those worlds and prevents any offending Goa'uld from breaking the treaty, though on some occasions the Goa'uld System Lords will allow this in order to test their enemies' defenses.

Beyond this, there appear to be few universal laws among the Goa'uld, who mostly rule their own territorial holdings. However, one rule prevents the creation of a Harcesis, which is a child of two hosts of two symbiotes and would thus gain the genetic memory of all Goa'uld. These children are hunted down and killed, though Apophis planned to gain a child to use as a host. Furthermore, there are certain actions that are even despicable and considered evil by their comrades. Anubis, before his banishment, was known to be extremely evil and engaged in actions that horrified his fellow Goa'uld.

The Ash'rak

An Ash'rak is a highly trained, highly dangerous Goa'uld assassin, usually employed by a System Lord, whose name actually means 'hunter'. Ash'rak exhibit such techniques as technically advanced rings which can alter memories of those it is used upon, and one Ash'rak was seen to use a cloaking device similar in technology to that of the Goa'uld Nirrti. The Goauld Hatak class mothership is the most deadly of all their spacecraft. ... In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, the fictional character Nirrti is a Goauld System Lord on whom the Nirrti of Hindu mythology is based. ...

An Ash'rak usually uses a Hara'kesh (also known as an Ash'rak device), which is a smaller version of the Goa'uld hand device, taking the form of an elaborate ring. Its function is to kill the Ash'rak's victim, but it is also frequently used to torture victims into releasing information. It is also capable of affecting other people to make them obey the Ash'rak's commands. Afterwards the victim remembers nothing of the Ash'rak. The Goauld Hatak class mothership is the most deadly of all their spacecraft. ...

Although Ash'raks have been important to the plot, and they have been mentioned numerous times, they have only been seen in two episodes - In the Line of Duty and Allegiance. In the Line of Duty is an episode of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. ... Allegiance is an episode from the sixth season of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. ...

Tactics

Typically, the Goa'uld employed massive armies of their slave warriors the Jaffa in battle against both rival Goa'uld and their enemies. The simple aim of this was to overrun the enemy with numbers along with superior technology as the Goa'uld armies would be supported by Ha'tak motherships. On most occasions, the Goa'uld lord himself or herself would lead the battle. Whether it's by accompanying the Jaffa or by overseeing the battle on their mothership. Usually, orbital bombardment is employed to pacify resistance and to instill sheer terror in the populace by demonstrating to them what resistance would mean. Strike craft such as the Death Glider or Al'kesh would also be employed for this task and to hunt down sources of resistance or locations which the Jaffa army cannot breach. The Jaffa themselves were expected to fight to the death and failure would very well mean their execution and the disgrace or possibly exile of their family.

However, when encountering a more advanced and fortified race, the Goa'uld in command would often resort to more cunning means of dealing with their enemy. This can be by deploying deadly plagues or placing powerful explosives within children in order to destroy their enemies. When brute force is not an option; trickery is often the next alternative. One example of this can be seen when Klorel was on trial by the Tollan and Zipacna represented the Goa'uld in the matter; the proceedings were simply a delaying action until a weakness was sighted. Trickery and infiltration are also employed by their forces as Apophis formed a secret camp of Jaffa who trained to behave like the Tau'ri in order to better infiltrate Earth. Technology was also used to create sleeper agents to infiltrate their enemies as seen by Za'tarc agents. Another example of trickery and deception is seen in the use of Cassandra who was implanted by Nirrti with a naquadah bomb or R'yac when he was brainwashed and a deadly poison was implanted by Apophis within him. This shows clearly that the Goa'uld will use innocent life and their own followers in order to destroy an enemy.

When assaulting an enemy world, the Goa'uld tend to activate the stargate in order to prevent their population from escaping. Jaffa may be sent through the gate or it can simply be kept opened until the thirty-eight minute window is over after which the gate is quickly activated again to prevent the enemy from using their stargate while the invasion is taking place.

It's been stated during the Replicator invasion of the galaxy that Goa'uld tactics are somewhat stagnant and they tend to employ the same way of war that they use against their rivals. This can be seen when the Replicators were attacking the Milky Way and Ba'al began provoking a response rather than leave the Replicators alone for a time.

Some Goa'uld tend to act out of spite and destroy potential resources that they cannot possess.

Technology

Main article: Goa'uld technology in Stargate

The Goa'uld are a strictly parasitic race. They rely on hosts for life, Jaffa for strength, and deception for power. Their technology is not much different. The Goa'uld are scavengers, and their technology is a conglomeration of the discoveries and ingenuity of multiple races, including the Ancients. The Goauld Hatak class mothership is the most deadly of all their spacecraft. ... The Jaffa are a fictional alien race, in the television series Stargate SG-1. ...

All (or the vast majority) of Goa'uld technology contains, in some form or another, naqahdah, the material of which the Stargates are constructed. This material also flows in Goa'uld veins, and is often used as a key to their technology, much like the ATA gene. The devices of the Goa'uld are mostly warlike in nature, reflecting the megalomaniacal nature of the species. Much of Goa'uld technology resembles real world Egyptian artifacts. The fictional Stargate setting contains a number of elements and other compounds unique to it, as well as fictional properties for real elements and compounds. ... In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis and Stargate SG-1, the Ancient Technology Activation Gene (usually spoken as the ATA Gene), is a specific gene expression present in Ancients that is used as a sort of genetic key, so only their kind can operate some of their technology...

Other information

• Goa'uld symbiotes can be ground up, refined, and used as a drug called Tretonin. When used, the user gains many of the same health advantages having a Goa'uld symbiote allows. However, use of the drug also permanently suppresses the human user's immune system. The drug also enabled the Jaffa to abandon the use of symbiotes to stay alive.
• A subfaction exists within the Goa'uld called the Tok'ra (meaning literally "Against Ra"), a group of Goa'uld who are opposed to the ways of the System Lords. Descended from the Goa'uld Queen Egeria, they share the desire to have a truly symbiotic relationship with their hosts. They are a resistance movement which attempts to overthrow the System Lords' tyranny. In addition, they have come up with several inventions that are truly their own, including force shields which allow specific one-way travel, a poison lethal solely to Goa'uld symbiotes, a derivative of the Re'ol chemical, and a method of artificial production of Tretonin. Although biologically the same species, Tok'ra prefer to not be referred to as Goa'uld.
• Jack O'Neill pejoratively refers to all Goa'uld (even the Tok'ra), as "snakes" or "snakeheads" because of the serpentine shape of the Goa'uld symbiote.
• Very few Goa'uld Queens have been encountered in the Stargate SG-1 series. Only three have been seen in the show's run, and all three have since been killed. The first encountered by the Tau'ri was Hathor who, based on dialogue within the episode, might have been the oldest of the Queens and the first to spawn the Goa'uld as they are known today. The second queen encountered was the Tok'ra Egeria, who literally gave birth to the Tok'ra rebellion. The last was a nameless Goa'uld who was in league with Anubis in his plot to create his newly formed Kull Warrior army.
• In "Need", it is revealed that continued use of the Sarcophagus causes changes in the user's brain chemistry which makes them more aggressive, an effect which increases with each successive use of the device. Samantha Carter suggested that the Goa'uld became so warlike and uncivilized because of their frequent use of the sarcophagus, a belief which the Tok'ra share.
• In "Critical Mass", the Goa'uld were seen for the first time in Stargate Atlantis.

Tretonin is a fictional drug in the television series Stargate SG-1, extracted from Goauld symbiotes. ... The Tokra are a fictional race on the television series Stargate SG-1. ... The Supreme System Lord Ra The System Lord Apophis The System Lord Anubis The System Lord Baal In the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, the System Lords are the leaders of the Goauld, the dominant alien race of the Milky Way Galaxy. ... The Tokra are fictional characters in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. ... The Reol are a fictional alien race from the sci-fi television show, Stargate SG-1. ... Serpentine refers to the curved shape of an object or design which resembles the letter s, or a snake; the latter is the derivation of the term. ... Hathor is a fictional character on the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1, related to Hathor of Egyptian mythology. ... In the fictional universe of the science fiction TV show Stargate SG-1, Kull Warriors are creatures created by Anubis for use in his personal army. ... Need is an episode from Season 2 of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. ... Sarcophagus In the Stargate fictional universe, the alien species Goauld use a device called a sarcophagus to rapidly heal injuries and extend their lifespans. ... Samantha Sam Carter (born December 29, 1968)[2] is a fictional character in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, played by English-Canadian actress Amanda Tapping. ... The Tokra are a fictional race on the television series Stargate SG-1. ... In this episode a man ejaculates semen all over his control panel causing him to crash into a large erect penis. ...

See also

• Goa'uld language
• Goa'uld characters in Stargate
• Goa'uld technology in Stargate

The Goauld language is a fictional language spoken by the Goauld and Jaffa from the television series Stargate SG-1. ... In the Stargate fictional universe, the Goauld are a fictional parasitic alien race that uses humans as hosts. ... The Goauld Hatak class mothership is the most deadly of all their spacecraft. ...

External links

• Gateworld.net

v • d • e Alien races in the Stargate universe
Alliance of four great races	Alteran (chars, tech), Asgard (chars, tech), Furling, Nox
Humans	Tau'ri (chars, tech), Tollan (tech), Langaran (char), Aschen, Genii (chars, tech), Athosians (chars), Prior, Jaffa (chars): Sodan, Free Jaffa
Goa'uld	System Lords (chars, tech), Kull Warrior, Tok'ra (chars, tech)
Other	Ori (chars, tech), Replicator (chars), Unas, Re'tu, Re'ol, Wraith (chars, tech), Iratus bug, Asurans (chars, tech)

v • d • e Topics in Stargate
Story of Stargate	Stargate, Stargate SG-1 (episodes), Stargate Atlantis (episodes), Stargate Infinity (episodes), Stargate Universe, Stargate: The Ark of Truth, Stargate: Continuum, Comics, Literature
Stargate Universe	Alien Races, Planets, Technology, The SGC, SG-1, SG Team, Atlantis, The Stargate, Ascension
Factions in Stargate	Tau'ri, Jaffa Resistance, Tok'ra, Asgard, Alterans, Goa'uld, Jaffa, System Lords, Replicators, Ori, Asuran, Wraith, Lucian Alliance, The Trust, NID, IOA